Review: hospital NEON – Numbers On My Skin

As PNDC & housework, Predrag Nedic and Athanassios Vavaroutas have impressed with a sequence of electronica-based releases with a modern European flavour. The PR blurb champions their new project hospital NEON and their first EP ‘Number On My Skin’; suggesting a “somewhat darker, harder sound” but then cheekily concedes “we might be wrong”.

‘No Sound’ is characterised by post-punk guitars and woozy accordion but housework’s vocals add a lightness of touch to the glum surroundings. The melody for ‘Here In Heaven We Are’ is lighter still; even reaching a sumptuous keyboard wash and guitar solo for its climax. ‘Rants’ sees the hope replaced by a more familiar snarl and cynicism whereas ‘The Accountant’ bubbles with underlying tension.

However non-committal the press release sounds, on reflection it’s pretty accurate. hospital NEON has given the two artists (who have still never actually met) a musical play area for thrashing out new ideas. On this form, they should not be discouraged.